JAKARTA, Sept 7 (Reuters) – A group of Indonesian legal advocates on Monday condemned a military court’s decision to cut the sentences of two soldiers and reverse their discharges after they were convicted of throwing acid at an activist who campaigned against the growing role of the military.
In June, the military court had handed down jail sentences ranging from 1-1/2 years to three years to four military intelligence unit officers convicted of the attack on Andrie Yunus, deputy coordinator with the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence, a rights group also known as KontraS.
The first two defendants received the longest sentences of three years and 2-1/2 years in jail and were also dishonourably discharged from the military.
After an appeal, the military court cut those defendants’ sentences by six months each and removed their discharge from the initial ruling, a document dated August 20 on the court website showed, without providing any reasons.
The Advocacy for Democracy Team, a coalition of activists and legal advocates, said the outcome of the appeal “gave leniency to the convicts, did not provide justice to the victim, strengthened the practice of impunity, and gave the impression that military officers get exclusive treatment before the law.”
Muhammad Nas, spokesperson for the Indonesian military, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the advocacy group’s criticism of the appeal outcome.
Andrie had been vocal against the rise of military involvement in civilian affairs. In its June verdict, the court found that the officers had thrown acid on him in a premeditated assault in March because of his advocacy.
Following the attack, Andrie has undergone numerous plastic surgeries and skin and eye operations, with his vision in his right eye so damaged he cannot read with it, the coalition said.
In the June verdict, the judgement showed the first defendant was given the heaviest sentence because he had executed the attack and encouraged the others to join in, while it was the idea of the second defendant to use acid.
Activists had criticised the initial court proceedings as they were held in the military court rather than the civilian court system.
Since President Prabowo Subianto took office in 2024, rights groups and students have expressed concern about the use of the military to implement his policy goals, which triggered nationwide protests in August last year.
(Reporting by Stanley Widianto; Editing by John Mair)
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